OUR ORGANIZATION

The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) is Minnesota’s premier provider of comprehensive immigration legal services to low-income clients of all nationalities. ILCM is a 30-person office with five locations in the State of Minnesota including two Saint Paul offices and offices in Moorhead, Worthington, and Austin. ILCM has been in operation for 25 years, and is funded through individual, law firm, corporate, United Way, foundation, and local, state, and federal government support. ILCM’s annual budget is currently $2.8 million.

OUR MISSION
The mission of ILCM is to enhance opportunities for immigrants and refugees through legal representation for low-income individuals, and through education and advocacy with diverse communities. Our goals are to:

• Remedy legal problems by providing quality immigration legal services to low-income immigrantsand refugees of all nationalities
• Prevent legal problems by providing law-related education to immigrants and refugees of all nationalities
• Raise public awareness of immigration issues to encourage sound public policy that protects the universal human rights of immigrants and is both compassionate and practical.

THE ROLE
The Staff Attorney will be an integral part of our Community Defense team. Second language fluency in Spanish is required. ILCM will also consider experienced 3L applicants who can work part-time until graduation and are willing to take the July bar exam.

The Staff Attorney is responsible for legal representation in a variety of immigration matters, including immigration court cases, and for providing information, technical assistance, outreach, and training on behalf of income-eligible persons of all nationalities.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide representation to individuals and families in defensive immigration matters in both detained and non-detained cases, including some or all of the following tasks: prepare and submit written pleadings and motions to the Immigration Court in Fort Snelling, MN, draft and file appropriate applications for relief from removal (i.e.: cancellation of removal, asylum, waiver applications, among others), meet with clients at detention facilities by phone or in-person (once safe to do so), prepare clients and witnesses for individual hearings, and represent clients (where appropriate) to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
2. Provide representation to individuals and families in affirmative immigration matters, including some or all of the following tasks: prepare and submit immigration applications to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS); respond to requests for evidence; keep clients informed about their case status; ensure that clients receive and understand communications from USCIS regarding their pending applications; prepare clients for interviews with USCIS; and educate clients about their rights and obligations under immigration law. Case types will include, but are not limited to: naturalization, U Visas, T Visas, VAWA, DACA, and family unity.
3. Provide Padilla consultations to public defenders about the immigration consequences of criminal pleas and convictions.
4. Conduct Know Your Rights presentations at immigration detention facilities for unrepresented individuals (once safe to do so).
5. Engage in outreach efforts to immigrant and refugee communities regarding our legal services.
6. Conduct remote intake consultations with and provide advice to potential clients, including individuals in immigration detention.
7. Identify and resolve legal issues on behalf of new clients, accept cases, maintain client files.
8. Maintain client data in compliance with organization protocols, grant and contract requirements, and ethical obligations.
9. Provide information about immigration law to agencies that work with immigrant and refugee communities on a one-to-one basis and through presentations.
10. Assist in grant proposal and report preparation as needed.
11. Perform other tasks, responsibilities, and special projects as assigned or directed.

• QUALIFICATIONS | KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
  • J.D. degree and admission to a state bar. ILCM will also consider experienced 3L applicants who can work part-time until graduation and are willing to take the July bar exam.
  • Second language fluency in Spanish required.
  • Experience with immigration law, immigration court representation, and the intersection of immigration and criminal law are preferred.
  • Excellent oral, listening, and written communication skills.
  • Ability to and interest in representing clients in defensive, immigration court proceedings.
  • High level of flexibility in adapting to changing immigration laws, procedures, and policies.
  • High level of attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects concurrently.
  • Familiarity with diverse refugee and immigrant communities, community agencies, and resources.
  • Demonstrated interest in serving the low-income immigrant and refugee community and experience working with persons of diverse economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
  • Ability to work constructively with others, possess good judgment, learn quickly, and work well independently and under pressure as well as in collaboration with other staff and with other organizations.
  • Working knowledge of standard word processing and presentation programs (i.e. Microsoft Word and PowerPoint) required; knowledge of immigration form programs and case database experience a plus.
  • Own car and able to travel to detention facilities 2-3 times per month (up to 100 miles from ILCM St. Paul office), to meet with clients, and to conduct outreach. Note—due to pandemic travel is not currently required to detention facilities.
• 
  OUR VALUES
  ILCM’s values are grounded in respect for and partnership with our immigrant and refugee clients.
  • We bring our full legal passion, dedicated attention and highest quality service to our low-income immigrant and refugee clients and their families.
  • We value relationships with the communities we serve and seek to express their full potential and contributions through our work together.
  • We work with excellence and integrity.
  • We believe in taking action to make immigration systems work for all.
• 
  WORKING ENVIRONMENT
  At this time, ILCM staff are primarily working remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Staff Attorney may be asked to come into the St. Paul, Minnesota office on occasion to assist with certain tasks. Eventually, ILCM expects that staff—including the Staff Attorney– will return to performing at least some work in the office on a
  regular basis. The Staff Attorney will also be expected to participate in some events away from the office and on nights or weekends, but the circumstances under which such participation will be required will depend on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
  ILCM is proud to offer a competitive compensation package:
  • Annual compensation: $52,000-$55,000 (After bar passage and DOE)
  • Benefits:
  o Paid-time-off
  o Health (ILCM currently pays 90% of the employee & dependent portion of premiums and 80% for spouses)
  o Dental (ILCM currently pays 65% of the employee and dependent premiums)
  o Vision (Employee paid)
  o FSA (ILCM currently contributes $500 per year regardless of whether the employee is enrolled in ILCM’s health plan)
  o Life, Short/Long-term Disability Insurance
  o IRA Plan w/employer match of up to 3% of the employee’s compensation
  o Please note that all benefits programs are governed by plan documents. In the event of any conflicts, the plan documents will govern.
• 
  HOW TO APPLY
  Please send a letter of interest, resume, and three references to:
  oficinalegal@ilcm.org. Deadline to apply is February 18, 2022.
• 
  Visit our website at https://www.ilcm.org/ to learn more about our work.
  ILCM is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. ILCM provides equal opportunity to all applicants for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws and will not refuse to hire any qualified individual, or otherwise discriminate
  against any individual by reason of an employee’s race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, familial status, status with regard to public assistance, or any other characteristic protected by law. ILCM is committed to providing all reasonable accommodations required by law to qualified
  individuals with disabilities who are applicants for employment and/or who are employed at ILCM.